The Port Angeles man who sparked a three-day standoff in Olympic National Park while high on methamphetamine in August 2021 was given three years of probation during his sentencing Friday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma.

Caleb Jesse Chapman, 42, was sentenced Oct. 7 on a charge of interfering with a federal communications system. He pleaded guilty to the crime in July. 

U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan noted that Chapman had spent 80 days in federal detention and could face additional prison time if he does not comply with all the conditions of his probation.

Nick Brown, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, said Chapman has been trying to address his drug problems in the time since his arrest.

“Mr. Chapman’s conduct put many people at risk and spread fear in the community," Brown said Friday. "When he disabled the communications system for the eastern section of the park, he disrupted the ability of park staff to call for help while running chainsaws to clear trails, hiking off-trail to monitor endangered animals, or checking on hikers in rugged terrain.”

“He has spent time since his arrest working to be drug free. We wish him success in that effort,” Brown added.

According to court documents, Chapman appeared at a stranger’s home armed with a handgun and AR-15-style rifle just after midnight Aug. 29, 2021.

Authorities said Chapman was high on methamphetamine when he handed the stranger a letter outlining his concerns over political events, his difficulty getting ammunition, and his belief that there would be a revolution starting on the Olympic Peninsula, in Texas, and elsewhere.

Chapman drove his girlfriend to Olympic National Park where he started a fire and then used a chainsaw to cut down a tree to block a road to the Deer Park Campground.  

Chapman told his girlfriend she was going to die in the “revolution.” The girlfriend called 911 and Chapman threw a can of soup at her, cutting her leg. Chapman stormed off into the woods with nine firearms including a stolen handgun, an AR-15 rifle, and two shotguns. Police said he had more than 3,500 rounds of ammunition.

Law enforcement evacuated the Deer Park campgrounds, trailheads, and road areas, and attempted to locate Chapman. Around 3 p.m. Aug. 29, 2021, Chapman disabled the Olympic National Park radio communications site, the radio repeater that's located at the summit of Blue Mountain and is used by the park for emergency response, public safety, and administrative radio communications.  

A drone located Chapman in the park two days later, and Chapman fired a short-barrel shotgun at the drone. Law enforcement was eventually able to negotiate Chapman’s surrender with no injuries to anyone.

In her sentencing memo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Foerster noted a variety of impacts and costs caused by Chapman’s actions, including the closure of the national park during one of the busiest times of the year.  

“Over 480 overtime hours were required from [National Park Service] staff in Washington over those three days, and that does not include the response from out-of-state [National Park Service] employees who flew in, the FBI, or other local law enforcement agencies," Foerster wrote. 

"This massive law enforcement response took officers and agents from already understaffed agencies away from their regular duties including emergency response, search-and-rescue, criminal investigations, and generally protecting the public…. Hikers with overnight permits — some who fly in just to hike in [Olympic National Park] — all had to evacuate and were otherwise unable to begin or complete their trips. The park lost out on significant revenue through the closures, and everyone within that area of the park had to be evacuated,” Foerster added.

Chapman has agreed to make restitution to those harmed by his actions, including losses to the National Park Service and to others, because of the closure of portions of Olympic National Park, including the popular Hurricane Ridge Visitor’s Center.  

Officials with the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the exact amount of restitution will be determined at a later hearing. Members of the public who were impacted by the park closure should contact the National Park Service at Olympic National Park to supply restitution information.

The case was investigated by the Investigative Services Branch of the National Park Service, the FBI, and the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team, which includes officers from Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, the Sequim, Port Angeles, and Port Townsend police departments, and the U.S. Border Patrol.